AT the end of May, 1916, I was invited to preach the Word to soldiers at the Soldiers’ Home at Winchester. About two hundred men were gathered in the Soldiers’ Welcome for tea, and after my address I chatted with one and another of them, My attention was drawn to one man who was sitting by himself, so I went over to him. In the course of our conversation I came to the conclusion that he had had some religious training, and fearing he might be trusting to that for salvation, I opened my Bible to John 3 and called his attention to the Lord’s words to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again” and “so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” After a short talk on these verses, it being time for me to go, I said to him, “By the bye, have you anyone who corresponds with you?” “What!” he said, “correspond with me! No, sir. No one will correspond with me. At the declaration of war I was doing time in prison for nearly killing a woman. I was offered a pardon if I would join His Majesty’s forces and fight for King and country, so I accepted and am now in training.”
“Will you let me correspond with you?” I replied.
“What! you correspond with me who have been in prison?” “Yes, why not? I shall be only too pleased to. Give me your name, number and Regiment,” which he did: 4653, Private W. Summers, 3/22 London Regiment. I told him my eldest son joined the “Shiny Seventh,” a London regiment, and was killed at the Battle of Loos. So we shook hands and parted.
On my return to London I wrote him a warm, brotherly letter. On June 18th I received a reply from No. 3 Ward, Magdalen Camp Military Hospital, Winchester. He told me he was “suffering with an ulcerated leg, an old wound having opened, and it was very painful”— and he was glad to be able to say that he now had peace with God and felt sure He had forgiven him. “Please do write again as I feel a comfort in your letters, and I will remember you with love in my prayers. Speaking to me as you did at the Soldiers’ Home, you caused me to feel a need that I have never felt so keenly before, and God has come in and filled that need and forgiven me for Christ’s sake. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.”
I wrote to him again, and on the 25th June, he replied: “Your most welcome and cheering letter arrived on Sunday morning. I am about to undergo an operation. My leg has been very painful of late and on Tuesday last I had a breakdown and the doctor has decided to graft some skin from the thigh and that will cure it. Now I have stated about my physical trouble. I must let you know about my spiritual welfare. I am indeed happy, far happier than I have ever been, and day by day I realize the presence of Jesus while I am here; there is an abiding sense of His presence, and one can hear the Voice more distinctly, Son, give Me thine heart,’ and I am glad I have responded. I know that if I cling to Him I shall never regret it. ‘He is faithful that promised.’ ‘Lo, I am with you alway.’ The tracts you sent were very acceptable, and though I am a member of the Roman Church, yet one can be a member of the Kingdom of God. He is all in all to me... I love Him with all my heart because He has died for me, and also for the comfort of the Holy Spirit. God bless you.” He added a P.S. “I will let you know later how the operation went off.” I wrote to him again, and on the 30th June he replied: “Your most kind letter has been the means of cheering me up quite a great deal, as I have been in terrible pain during the past few days; yet, as you remark in your last letter, we can see the Hand of God, in and through it all, and I am comforted with His loving words, ‘be of good cheer.’
“I have sent the news of my conversion to my mother, and she wrote me a very encouraging letter, desiring me to continue in the good way I have started.... I am indeed thankful that I came to the Lord Jesus. I have, of course, had very little experience in the spiritual life, but, thank God I shall never desire the pleasures of the world after this. I have at last realized the desire of my heart— ‘Full salvation.’
“You will remember, when the War first broke out, King George offered a free pardon to all deserters of His Majesty’s Army. There were certain conditions attached to it, but Jesus gives His pardon free under any circumstances. I am fully determined to go and try my utmost to lead a fellow comrade to the foot of the cross.”
I replied to this letter and wrote again, but got no reply, and from inquiries could only ascertain that he was no longer in the hospital. I heard from a lady visitor at the hospital that he was very bright and happy while there, but whether he went under the operation or not, or what happened to him, I could not find out. I am looking forward to meeting him in glory.
Dear reader, have you come to Christ? Will you meet us in Heaven?
P. G. T.